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The point being that the union’s money really belongs to the members who deserved better controls on how it was spent.

In deciding to appoint an administrator to the HSU East branch, Workplace Relations Minister
Bill Shorten
argued it was a rogue outfit in the broader union movement. ACTU president
Ged Kearney
has made similar noises in offering cautious support for the government’s rare direct intervention.

But the scandal at the HSU has prompted Opposition Leader
Tony Abbott
to promise far tougher financial controls on unions, which are regulated by the Registered Organisations Act rather than by the Corporations Law.

His workplace spokesman,
Eric Abetz
, reckons the HSU’s lack of financial controls shows the strong case for greater regulation of unions. “A company director could go to jail for behaviour like this," Mr Abetz said.

But the registered organisation regime also applies to employer groups, so it will be interesting to see just how a Coalition government would apply tighter controls.